Just Desserts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Trifle

Of course many people also add sherry to this concoction, but for me that is just overegging the pudding - no pun intended! Apparently the trifle first started out as a mixture of sugar, cream and fruit, and then progressed to a layer of bread and alcohol and layers of custard. It has gone through many stages to become what we know today as trifle.

Answer: Cheesecake

My favourite is baked lemon cheesecake, but of course there are endless possibilities and many varieties. In fact I've just read a recipe for Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake, just thinking about it adds pounds!

Answer: Creme brulee

What a great and quite simple dessert. Make up a basic creme anglaise custard base, bake, cover with sugar and burn the sugar until it forms a crispy, golden caramel topping. This dessert may have originated in Spain where it was known as Crema Catalana or England where it was commonly called Burnt Cream, but in the 19th Century it became widely known as Creme Brulee and the French were credited with having inventing this fine dessert. Creme Caramel is also a creamy custard dessert, but the caramel is in the form of a gooey and very delicious sauce.

Answer: Egg yolks

No custard is really a custard without the egg yolks, and creme anglaise is a basic custard mix. Many desserts have this is a base including vanilla slices, creme brulee and trifle. Are you hungry yet?

Answer: Baked Alaska

The Baked Alaska was originally an ice cream core baked in a pastry case, but gradually became a sponge base, ice cream core and meringue case. The credit for this dessert is argued over by the Chinese, French, Americans and Norwegians. It was given the name "Baked Alaska" by a chef in New York's Delmonico's restaurant.

Answer: Raspberry pavlova

Another meringue dessert, the most famous being raspberry, but any soft fruit can be used, along with whipped cream. Both New Zealand and Australia believe they created this amazing dessert. It appeared in a NZ cook book in 1929, but was later called a "Pavlova" in Australia in the 1930s. Of course, it was named after the famed Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. I've just been to the fridge - sadly none of these desserts were in there, but I am SO hungry.

Answer: Peach Melba

Peach melba consists of poached peach halves, vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. The famous singer is of course, Dame Nellie Melba. Melba toast is also named after her.

Answer: Zabaglione

In France a similar dish is called Sabayon. Basically this is another variation on custard where egg yolks, sugar, a little salt and Marsala wine are beaten over a pan of boiling water until the eggs are thickened. Other sweet wines such as Sauterne can be used, as can Sherry and Madeira.

Answer: Coffee

This dessert is also called "Tuscan Trifle" and was created in Sienna, Tuscany (no fighting over who invented this one!). Basically the dessert is layers of ladyfinger biscuits (or Biscotti can be used) soaked in strong coffee and/or a liqueur of your choice and a mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone cheese.

It's then left to set and sprinkled with cocoa or chocolate shavings. This is actually the one dessert here which doesn't tempt me as I hate the taste and smell of coffee.

Answer: Baklava

This is another dessert which the origins of are fought over. The Greeks, Bulgarians, Turks and Indians claim it as their own. It's thought that it was probably created by the Assyrians as early as the 8th century, but that many travellers were captivated by its taste and took the recipe home and made it their own.

As a consequence recipes vary, but it is basically layers of extremely thin, flaky pastry (such as filo), minced nuts (walnuts or almonds mostly) and honey or syrup to bind. It is then baked until golden.

The Indians also add rosewater and cardamom to make it very aromatic. It is a very beautiful dessert, but I can only eat a little.